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Foods to avoid during pregnancy
I've googled this A LOT, but am having a hard time finding a comprehensive list online. I thought I would start this topic, so you can add the foods. For example, over the weekend, a friend told me brussel sprouts were bad during pregnancy. What??? I hadn't heard that! I'm sure there are more out there. Here are the ones I know of.
Deli meat (unless heated)
Soft cheeses
Can more people add to this list? I feel like I need to start paying closer attention.
Deli meat (unless heated)
Soft cheeses
Can more people add to this list? I feel like I need to start paying closer attention.
I think people waaaay overreact to all of this. People have eaten food while pregnant for thousands of years. If you have questions ask you doctor, or go check out a book. Of course things are different in different places that because the regulations are different in different places. That's the downside of a forum like this one, anyone can post anything and if its different in you country and you eat a cheese that isn't pasturized or something then there could be a problem. Always check informatin with a doctor, always. Because when it comes down to the safety of you and your child unborn or running around raising hell, the internet is just not a reliable source of facts and hard information. Please do not risk you or your childs lives based on something you read off of the internet. Check with a doctor or call a hotline in your area.
Soft serve icecream can contain listeria. Stick to properly frozen icecream to avoid the risk!
For Australians ALL soft cheeses here are not ok. Most of our soft cheeses are unsafe according to our obstetricians.
I have never heard of an obstetrician saying ok to sushi before though (American or Australian). Rice grows bad bacteria very quickly and only fresh rice is ok for pregnant women. It also often contains raw fish or cold meats which is the same as eating deli meats unheated! Not worth the risk!!
Don't forget ladies that 9 months isn't long for us but what we do during that nine months affects our child for the rest of their life!
For Australians ALL soft cheeses here are not ok. Most of our soft cheeses are unsafe according to our obstetricians.
I have never heard of an obstetrician saying ok to sushi before though (American or Australian). Rice grows bad bacteria very quickly and only fresh rice is ok for pregnant women. It also often contains raw fish or cold meats which is the same as eating deli meats unheated! Not worth the risk!!
Don't forget ladies that 9 months isn't long for us but what we do during that nine months affects our child for the rest of their life!
Some of the foods that are being said we should "avoid" are completely fine. You DON'T have to avoid ALL fish.. the omega-3's are GREAT for the baby. Just limit the high mercury seafoods. Salmon is fine, but again, don't eat it every day!!!
As for soft cheeses, cream cheese is totally processed as is nacho cheese, etc. They don't mean 'soft cheese' like just because it's soft. It's more the unpastuerized.
scrambled eggs are okay (hard boiled are good too) just cook them thoroughly.
Peanuts and Peanut butter is fine. I had a fear of this and have done a lot of research and there is nothing that says PB is linked to peanut allergeis.
But, do what makes YOU comfortable. I'm sure I avoid foods that are probably fine. For example, I won't touch caffiene (even though I know there's a 300mg limit) or peperroni pizza even if the pepperoni is steaming hot! You will hear different things from different ppl. Just go with what you feel comfortable eating and don't get too worried if you accidentally eat something on the "do not eat" list. My OB even says sushi is fine, so go figure!!! ;)
As for soft cheeses, cream cheese is totally processed as is nacho cheese, etc. They don't mean 'soft cheese' like just because it's soft. It's more the unpastuerized.
scrambled eggs are okay (hard boiled are good too) just cook them thoroughly.
Peanuts and Peanut butter is fine. I had a fear of this and have done a lot of research and there is nothing that says PB is linked to peanut allergeis.
But, do what makes YOU comfortable. I'm sure I avoid foods that are probably fine. For example, I won't touch caffiene (even though I know there's a 300mg limit) or peperroni pizza even if the pepperoni is steaming hot! You will hear different things from different ppl. Just go with what you feel comfortable eating and don't get too worried if you accidentally eat something on the "do not eat" list. My OB even says sushi is fine, so go figure!!! ;)
I just found the article given to me....Jan/Feb issue (2008) of Mothering magazine regarding herbs to avoid during pregnancy...My midwife gave it to me as I often use herbs instead of over-the-counter meds...
Things like Angelica, Mugwort, Pennyroyal, Rue, safflower, wormwood, etc
-oils (remember these are oils) such as oregano, pennyroyal, peppermint, sage ransy, thuja, thyme
-Teratogens (not sure what these are to be honest, but...) the list includes conium spp, datura, etc.
-Alkaloids- barberry borage, coltsfoot, comfrey, goldenseal, oregon grape
-Stimulating laxatives - aloes, buckthorn, cascara sagrada, castor oil, rhubarb
-Stimulants/Depressants - coffee, Kava, etc
-Phytoestrogens - hops, red clover, isoflavone extracts
However...there are herbs that are highly recommended Red raspberry leaf, echinacea, ginger, cranberry, chamomile
JillyHemp - thanks for the book idea...I've got to see if I can find that one!
Things like Angelica, Mugwort, Pennyroyal, Rue, safflower, wormwood, etc
-oils (remember these are oils) such as oregano, pennyroyal, peppermint, sage ransy, thuja, thyme
-Teratogens (not sure what these are to be honest, but...) the list includes conium spp, datura, etc.
-Alkaloids- barberry borage, coltsfoot, comfrey, goldenseal, oregon grape
-Stimulating laxatives - aloes, buckthorn, cascara sagrada, castor oil, rhubarb
-Stimulants/Depressants - coffee, Kava, etc
-Phytoestrogens - hops, red clover, isoflavone extracts
However...there are herbs that are highly recommended Red raspberry leaf, echinacea, ginger, cranberry, chamomile
JillyHemp - thanks for the book idea...I've got to see if I can find that one!
When they say soft cheeses they mean fresh mozzarella, feta, blue stuff like that. Not spreadable chedder and cream cheese. All cheeses in America have to be pasturized unless your talking about a specialty food store where they might sell some unpasturized items for those gourmet people. But cream cheese is fine as is the spreadable stuff. And hot dogs and deli meat should NOT be heated in the microwave. A microwave does not cook evenly. (That's why if you ever put a hot dog in the microwave without scoring it, it will burst open in some areas and be normal in others. The parts that have burst have been heated more than the parts that look normal.) Deli meat and hot dogs should be boiled or baked in the oven (to ensure even heat throughout) to 165 degrees. Which is practically gum-i-fied, unfortunately. No raw egg (which seriously bummed me out, no tasting the cookie dough) buuut if you shell out the axtra cash for pasturized eggs then your fine. Caffiene is technically a no-no, but your technically allowed 300 mg of caffiene a day. Which is like 2 regular sized cups of regular black coffe. Although, studies have shown that women who have more caffiene per day have a higher risk of miscarriage. However, this risk goes down the farther along you are. So I stayed completely off caffiene in my first trimester, but now I have a little here and there. But just for the record for all you caffiene addicts out there, once you go off caffiene for awhile, when you start drinking it again it is suuuuuper wakey-wakey. Trust me, caffiene did nothing for me before, but now a half a cup of coffee is enough for all day. If you guys want there is a really great great book out there all about what you should and shouldn't eat during pregnancy. It was written by a nutrionist who couldn't find anything reliable on the subject when she was pregnant. I bought it a while back and I live by it. And it has reaaaally great recipes in it, ones for if your sick to your stomach and everything. And every recipe is designed to pack the most nutrients into every meal by way of things that fill more than 1 nutrition slot at a time. The name of the book is Feed The Belly and it is fantastic!! I completely recommeend it!!
Yes I ate a cheese ball at Christmas before finding out. I was scared but there is nothing I can do about it now and it was only once. I am sure you are fine like me but I will miss my cream cheese!!
So does that mean cream cheese is out? That's something I've been eating on my bagels.
Deli meat (unless heated)
Soft cheeses
soft serve icecream
sushi
dip that contains cream cheese (so almost all of them)
meat that isn't well done (no more medium for me)
caffeine
Only hard boiled eggs (no runny middle)
Soft cheeses
soft serve icecream
sushi
dip that contains cream cheese (so almost all of them)
meat that isn't well done (no more medium for me)
caffeine
Only hard boiled eggs (no runny middle)
I found this online:
WebMD has a great article on steering clear of certain foods while expecting. Here's the list:
* Certain types of fish: Swordfish, shark, tilefish, king mackerel, limit canned albacore tuna fish. These large fish harbor higher levels of methylymercury, a metal detrimental to a growing child's brain and nervous system. Pregnant and nursing women may safely eat up to 6 ounces of albacore ("white') tuna fish as part of their weekly total limit of 12 ounces of seafood low in mercury, says the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This also includes salmon, shrimp, canned light tuna, pollock, and catfish.
* Fish caught in rivers, lakes, streams, or any other body of water. Recreational anglers may hook fish contaminated with bacteria or chemicals. Check the safety of fish from your favorite fishing grounds with your local health department.
* Raw or undercooked meats: Red meat, poultry, seafood (like raw oysters, clams, sushi), and eggs (including eggs in cookie dough and cake batter). Undercooked animal foods may contain a variety of bacteria and viruses. Use a meat thermometer to determine how well done the meat and poultry are, and cook eggs until they are no longer runny.
* Hot dogs and luncheon meats: This includes deli ham, turkey, bologna, and salami. They are fine to eat if they have been reheated until steaming hot. These foods are prone to Listeria monocytogenes, a bacteria that causes listeriosis, which may result in miscarriage, stillbirth, or other serious health problems.
* Unpasteurized dairy foods: These can include some milk and certain cheeses, such as Brie, feta, Camembert, Roquefort, blue-veined, "queso blanco," "queso fresco," and Panela; refrigerated pates or meat spreads; and refrigerated smoked seafood, such as salmon, trout, whitefish, cod, tuna, or mackerel (most often labeled as "nova-style," "lox," "kippered," "smoked," or "jerky"). These foods may contain harmful levels of listeria bacteria. Refrigerated smoked seafood is safe when it's part of a cooked dish, like casseroles.
[Lil note: Many cheeses in the US are pasteurized though, in which case they are fine. But if you are traveling abroad, you might want to play it safe and avoid it all together.]
* Unpasteurized juices: Juices such as cider purchased from roadside stands, at farms, or in stores can be prone to germs, including E. coli. Check the label to be sure juice is pasteurized.
* Raw vegetable sprouts: The FDA says sprouts are not a good idea for anyone, especially pregnant women who are more susceptible to the health effects of the germs sprouts possess. Examples of raw vegetable sprouts are alfalfa sprouts, clover, radish, and mung bean.
* Herbal supplements and teas: Herbs are natural, but herbal products have not been studied enough to recommend them during pregnancy.
* Alcohol: Beer, wine, and spirits rob developing cells of oxygen, making normal development impossible. The effects of alcohol on intellectual prowess are irreparable. According to the March of Dimes, there is no known safe level for alcohol consumption in pregnancy.
* Tap water in undeveloped countries: Drink bottled water to avoid bacteria and viruses.
* Certain foods that cause food allergy. Depending on your family history, your child may be at risk for developing food allergies. Avoiding foods including peanuts and peanut products during pregnancy (and nursing) may reduce allergy risk in susceptible children. Before you make any changes to your diet, speak with a licensed health care professional about your child's risk for allergy and consult with a registered dietitian knowledgeable about food allergy.
WebMD has a great article on steering clear of certain foods while expecting. Here's the list:
* Certain types of fish: Swordfish, shark, tilefish, king mackerel, limit canned albacore tuna fish. These large fish harbor higher levels of methylymercury, a metal detrimental to a growing child's brain and nervous system. Pregnant and nursing women may safely eat up to 6 ounces of albacore ("white') tuna fish as part of their weekly total limit of 12 ounces of seafood low in mercury, says the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This also includes salmon, shrimp, canned light tuna, pollock, and catfish.
* Fish caught in rivers, lakes, streams, or any other body of water. Recreational anglers may hook fish contaminated with bacteria or chemicals. Check the safety of fish from your favorite fishing grounds with your local health department.
* Raw or undercooked meats: Red meat, poultry, seafood (like raw oysters, clams, sushi), and eggs (including eggs in cookie dough and cake batter). Undercooked animal foods may contain a variety of bacteria and viruses. Use a meat thermometer to determine how well done the meat and poultry are, and cook eggs until they are no longer runny.
* Hot dogs and luncheon meats: This includes deli ham, turkey, bologna, and salami. They are fine to eat if they have been reheated until steaming hot. These foods are prone to Listeria monocytogenes, a bacteria that causes listeriosis, which may result in miscarriage, stillbirth, or other serious health problems.
* Unpasteurized dairy foods: These can include some milk and certain cheeses, such as Brie, feta, Camembert, Roquefort, blue-veined, "queso blanco," "queso fresco," and Panela; refrigerated pates or meat spreads; and refrigerated smoked seafood, such as salmon, trout, whitefish, cod, tuna, or mackerel (most often labeled as "nova-style," "lox," "kippered," "smoked," or "jerky"). These foods may contain harmful levels of listeria bacteria. Refrigerated smoked seafood is safe when it's part of a cooked dish, like casseroles.
[Lil note: Many cheeses in the US are pasteurized though, in which case they are fine. But if you are traveling abroad, you might want to play it safe and avoid it all together.]
* Unpasteurized juices: Juices such as cider purchased from roadside stands, at farms, or in stores can be prone to germs, including E. coli. Check the label to be sure juice is pasteurized.
* Raw vegetable sprouts: The FDA says sprouts are not a good idea for anyone, especially pregnant women who are more susceptible to the health effects of the germs sprouts possess. Examples of raw vegetable sprouts are alfalfa sprouts, clover, radish, and mung bean.
* Herbal supplements and teas: Herbs are natural, but herbal products have not been studied enough to recommend them during pregnancy.
* Alcohol: Beer, wine, and spirits rob developing cells of oxygen, making normal development impossible. The effects of alcohol on intellectual prowess are irreparable. According to the March of Dimes, there is no known safe level for alcohol consumption in pregnancy.
* Tap water in undeveloped countries: Drink bottled water to avoid bacteria and viruses.
* Certain foods that cause food allergy. Depending on your family history, your child may be at risk for developing food allergies. Avoiding foods including peanuts and peanut products during pregnancy (and nursing) may reduce allergy risk in susceptible children. Before you make any changes to your diet, speak with a licensed health care professional about your child's risk for allergy and consult with a registered dietitian knowledgeable about food allergy.
Wow I have never had any dr tell me of the herbs. My dh and I are naturalist per say so I have a book that tells them.
I knew of the soft cheeses and deli meat. KNow i know that youa re to have no fish of any kind and the shark sorwd fish, tilappia already were on the list like 10 years ago when I went through this before.
Now they say all fish even tuna and salmon. Most of our fish is imported by china and it has high levels of mercury and some other contaminent. I know that albicore tuna has mroe then chunk light tuna but it all has such high levels now that any child under the age of 2 is not to have any kind of fish. The metals and stuff hurt the brain as it is at a vital part of growing. I know lots of people say this is not true but with all the enviroment factors and China has the worst testing I could nto do it. I have craved shrimp too:(
I was alos told by a dr that since your pregnancy slows down the digestive tract you should not eat pork at all or that much. It has nothing to do with chemicals though.
It really seems like there are ither things I have read but I forget.
And you know it has been hard to find a list of foods not to eat online and in What to Expect When your Expecting! I never had a hard time before. Hopefully someone else can add to this list.
I knew of the soft cheeses and deli meat. KNow i know that youa re to have no fish of any kind and the shark sorwd fish, tilappia already were on the list like 10 years ago when I went through this before.
Now they say all fish even tuna and salmon. Most of our fish is imported by china and it has high levels of mercury and some other contaminent. I know that albicore tuna has mroe then chunk light tuna but it all has such high levels now that any child under the age of 2 is not to have any kind of fish. The metals and stuff hurt the brain as it is at a vital part of growing. I know lots of people say this is not true but with all the enviroment factors and China has the worst testing I could nto do it. I have craved shrimp too:(
I was alos told by a dr that since your pregnancy slows down the digestive tract you should not eat pork at all or that much. It has nothing to do with chemicals though.
It really seems like there are ither things I have read but I forget.
And you know it has been hard to find a list of foods not to eat online and in What to Expect When your Expecting! I never had a hard time before. Hopefully someone else can add to this list.
I had done what I thought was a pretty good check of fish that I couldn't eat...then I found out that cod is one that you shouldn't eat....how did I miss that??? I had a piece of it the other day....and, of course, have been worried ever since.
My dr. also gave me a list of herbs and herbal teas that are definitely NOT okay. i'll see if I can find out where it came from and pass it along.
Yep, deli meets should be heated to a steam...this always bums me out...I constantly crave for cold sandwiches with veggies and meat! lol
My dr. also gave me a list of herbs and herbal teas that are definitely NOT okay. i'll see if I can find out where it came from and pass it along.
Yep, deli meets should be heated to a steam...this always bums me out...I constantly crave for cold sandwiches with veggies and meat! lol
You are suppose to heat it to a steam before eating (deli meat & hot dogs) so the toasters don't do it. Have them run it through the microwave first (Subway will) them make the sandwich.
Good idea..I've stayed away from subway and stuff because the people touch the lettuce, tomatoes, and other veggies with the same gloves as they handle the meats..so I assume that the same bacteria would be transfered. Which really stinks...I would love a nice turkey and ham on italian cheese bread right about now :P
And, is it okay to get a deli sandwich at fast food places that run the sandwiches through toasters? (Such as Pot.Belly and Quiz.nos?)
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